


What The Wolf Needs

by LI0NH34RT



Series: (Soul)Mates [3]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, Soulmates, Thiam, a tiny bit of angst?, inner animals, like the tiniest bit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:07:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23497990
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LI0NH34RT/pseuds/LI0NH34RT
Summary: Theo is confused.Or rather, his wolf is, because in the rational, human part of his brain Theo knows that it is how it is.Yes, Liam's wolf and his own are mates. Some weird, fucked up, quirk of destiny decided that they would be a good match, would complete each other.But the truth is, they aren’t.Sequel to "What The Wolf Wants"
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Series: (Soul)Mates [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2046068
Comments: 19
Kudos: 105





	What The Wolf Needs

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Shatteeran](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shatteeran/gifts).



> Because quarantine is making me write other things than crack and fluff.

Theo is confused.

  
Or rather, his wolf is, because in the rational, human part of his brain Theo knows that it is how it is.   
Yes, Liam's wolf and his own are mates. Some weird, fucked up, quirk of destiny decided that they would be a good match, would complete each other.

  
But the truth is, they aren’t.

Liam is... _good_. Sure, he is irrational sometimes, something that doesn't pair well with heightened emotions and on occasion he acts before he thinks but everything he says, does, _thinks_ is out of the intention of doing the right thing.   
His smile is sunshine in a human body, his eyes the clear sky of a mid summer day and his hugs are like a bonfire (Theo feels fortunate to know that).

  
So yes, Liam is good. 

And Theo... well, Theo is not.

  
The Chimera animals were synthetic. Lab-made. And so, like every other physical trace from his life before, they vanished when Scott's burning bite forced his body to change.  
But even though the physical evidence was gone, the memories remain.

  
And Theo can’t forget.

~♤~

The first two weeks after Theo got bitten, after his fake animals were torn out of his chest and replaced with the living, _beating soul_ of a wolf, are easy. 

Liam is attentive to his every need, smiling, touching, _smiling_.  
The rest of the pack moves around him like they are afraid of an explosion. 

  
The explosion that is inevitable. Because no matter what the stories say, soulmates aren't the happy ending. They aren't one look into each other's eyes and all is well.

And so the bubble that is their pretending of an end bursts; back to reality. 

  
Back to the beginning.

Even though the wolves are now able to feel each other, sense their mate and even though the wolves live in their chests, both boys are confused.

  
For Theo, everything is new. The wolf, the feeling of belonging somewhere, _to someone_.   
Liam, having had a little more time to come to terms with the situation doesn't understand why Theo isn't happy. For him it is clear as day, they are mates so they are One.  
But still, having feelings for Theo is not easy for him. 

  
Theo, who almost destroyed his pack, shook them to their core, more than anyone ever before.   
Theo, who made him kill his own Alpha.  
Theo, who manipulated all of them.

  
But also -

  
Theo, who saved him. Multiple times.  
Theo, who stayed when everyone wanted him gone.  
Theo, who redeemed himself and is now part of the pack. Liam's pack.

  
~♤~

At first neither of them notices because it starts with small things. 

Theo's favourite snacks in the kitchen.   
“They were cheaper than the other stuff, don't overthink it”, Liam shrugs it off when Theo raises a questioning eyebrow.

One night when they forgot to close the window Theo wakes up from the sound of Liam sliding it shut and turning the handle. He shivers, curling more into himself and a minute later a second blanket is draped over him.

  
The next morning the incident has almost slipped his mind already but then his eyes fall onto the brightly coloured quilt Liam's gran made, pooling around his feet.  
Again, he doesn’t even get to say something because Liam already blurts out, “shut up, I don't want you to get sick and infect me too.”

  
_Werewolves don't get sick_ , Theo wants to say but the warm feeling in his chest that has nothing to do with blankets, stops the words from coming out.

After that, he starts paying attention. And because he does, the first thing that he notices is that Liam doesn’t.

  
No matter how sweet the gesture is, it is getting neutralized by Liam's scowl and a snarky remark directly after.   
Brewing two cups of tea instead of one? “You got the rest with the calcification bits.”  
Washing his truck? “I scratched the back door a bit though... sorry.” (he never found the mark.)

  
It seems like Liam is doing nice things for him but he doesn't want to.

It doesn’t make sense and confuses Theo even more. And so he goes to the only person in Beacon Hills who knows more about supernatural occurrences than him. Alan Deaton.

Unfortunately Deaton not only knows a lot, he also loves to confuse people apparently, because Theo doesn’t understand a word. When he tells the veterinarian as much he only gets a cryptic smile as answer.

_“The wolf and the man are two creatures sharing a body. What one knows, can be hidden from the other. Only unity will bring clearance for both.”_

What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Both of who? The wolf and the human or Liam and him? And ‘clarity’... what a damn spongy term that is...

“Fuck!”, Theo boxes his steering wheel, the crack of the construction brings him out of his thoughts though and he finally starts the engine to drive home.

  
_Home_. That's a new development as well. The Geyer's house is really his home now. And it's mainly Liam that makes it feel like that. No matter how much he resists, the beta can't fully hide his affections. 

  
Even if he tries.

~♤~

The next night is a full moon. Liam is even more restless than usual.

  
The mantra doesn't help. Having Theo close doesn’t either. Their bond as anchors has gotten thin since Theo turned and he suspects it's because he can't even anchor himself anymore now. And so they are just two loose minds, dancing thoughts and restless bodies, neither able to hold the other down.

Liam proposes a little wrestling match to get out their energy but Theo is tired of fighting and so they end up in the preserve. Running. From the moon, from their thoughts; but not from each other.  
Whatever magic happens when the moon is full, it draws both boys closer together. The wolves are restless and just happy with having their mate close but the human minds find comfort in each other's presence as well.

  
For a while they run without talking, the only sounds coming from nature and the signs of life in it. When they reach the look out, from where one can see all of Beacon Hills, Liam, being two steps in the lead, slows his run down to a walk. Theo falls into step and finally breaks the silence, “is it just me or is the moon especially bright tonight?” _Smalltalk. Smart._

And as if his words released an avalanche, several things happen too quickly for Theo's still human eyes to process.

  
Liam stopping dead in his tracks, turning on his heels, eyes glowing, fangs dropped.  
He moves fast and the next thing Theo knows is that he is pressed up against a tree, the rough bark rubbing through his thin shirt, Liam's hands on his shoulders. 

  
Neither of them moves and even though Liam's mouth opens and closes a few times, he doesn’t speak. Instead he lowers his head until his face is buried into Theo’s neck. The cold tip of his nose touches Theo’s skin, letting him catch up to the situation.

He freezes. Too familiar is the feeling of fangs so close to his neck. But Liam simply holds him, heavily breathing in and out. Then, a whisper.  
“Why you? What is it about you?”

  
It hurts, hearing what he already knows. That he will never be good enough. Soulmates or not.

The urge to run is strong but Liam is not letting go.

“I forgive you, you know?”, the whispers continue, “I can't forget it but the past is the past and this is not fair to you. And for that I am sorry.” Soft lips touch the skin on Theo's neck, making him shudder.   
Slowly he raises his arms, uselessly hanging at his sides, to burrow them into Liam's hair. 

He pulls the beta's head back until they look each other in the eyes.

  
“You don't have to do that, you know? Just because our wolves or some idiotic loop of faith or whatever it was decided this would be a good idea... it doesn’t mean you have to love me.”

Liam shakes his head, so violently that Theo's hands almost slip off but Liam grabs them, takes them into his own. The hold is so strong that Theo can feel his bones crack.  
“You don’t understand”, he laughs and it sounds a bit hysteric, “actually I don't either. But it doesn't matter. Because I do love you. My wolf, he just needs you. But I, I want to be with you Theo. I want to try. You just have to give me time.”

_He loves me._

  
No one ever loved Theo. Not his parents, always preferring his perfect sister. Not Scott and Stiles, the ~~brothers~~ best friends putting up with his company for a while. And certainly not the pack of lab accidents he forced to follow him.

  
But Liam, the boy who got hurt so much; by him and others, Liam still has it in himself to love Theo. 

He smiles, careful, as if not to break, “Well, we're not in a hurry here, Little Wolf.”


End file.
